1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to optically-pumped dye laser systems, and, more particularly, to optically-pumped dye laser systems for use with microscopes to produce localized areas of high laser energy density at the specimen plane.
2. Description of Related Art
Dye lasers are tunable to a range of different wavelengths, from approximately 340 nm to 1200 nm. Tunable dye lasers are well-suited for the study of biological materials, because thermochemical, photochemical, and photoablative reactions depend critically upon the wavelength of light and absorption maxima of tissue.
The output wavelength of a dye laser depends upon the pump source wavelength and lasing characteristics of the fluorescent dye being optically pumped. Dye laser tuning may be accomplished by tuning elements in the laser resonator cavity, by changing the type or concentration of fluorescent dye, by changing the type of dye solvent in the dye cell, or any combination of the above.
A dye laser in combination with an optical microscope can deliver finely focussed, high intensity beams to many types of specimens. It has been difficult and tedious, however, to align the optical axis of a complex optical microscope to be coincident to the axis of a dye laser system. Besides the considerable time and skill required for laser alignment, a substantial amount of hardware is necessary, such as an optical table, lenses, mirrors, positioners, and mounting plates and posts.
A drawback to conventional, high precision dye lasers with removable dye cells is the need to realign the dye laser after changing dye cells. To use such dye lasers with a microscope as discussed above, the entire system must be realigned.